BONGO Pickups sound different?!?!

[All thumbs]

Hi all!!

Just bought a Bongo ad love its looks. On plugging it in though I find the sound of the two pickups is distinctly different ( I don't mean because of the position). The bridge has a pronounced mid and attenuated highs (like turning the treble down) whereas the neck pu has a scooped sound with LOADS of crisp high treble. You can hear the difference even just by tapping the pole pieces with a screwdriver. Is this an intentional design feature, or do I have a faulty bass?
Anyone?? Neither pickup sounds bad, just the timbre is different. Bongo owners try the polepiece tapping thing yourselves and see if you notice a different sound from each pickup.

Cheers,
Scott.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Welcome to the forum!

Please contact customer service. Nobody knows better than they do and they're the best in the biz.

 

[GassieBall]

The pickups do sound different, but I don't think to the extent you're talking about. Is there anyway you can get a comparison clip for us to hear? And yes, if it is a problem, what Stanky said.

 

[syciprider]

I'm not following.

 

[Leftybassist]

I read somewhere that neodymium is a very brittle magnet and that taping them or even letting them click together could result in them cracking and even cause an injury because of the powerful magnetic force. Careful! Seriously, I'm not making this up.

 

[Oldtoe]

I believe the two pickups are wound differently for the neck and bridge position in all double-humbucker EBMM basses.

 

[All thumbs]

OK NEW JUST IN....

Customer support have confirmed that the two pickups are indeed intentionally voiced differently.

I only got this info today, but to be honest I'd already began to understand why thery're voiced the way they are anyway. The first time I plugged the bass in I expected to get that typical 'Stingray' tone (ish as I know it's nearer the bridge) from the bridge pickup. Instead I got more of a 'Jaco on steriods' tone (wonderful) but not what I expected. Now after nearly a week I've come to love it! On the bridge pickup you get the ultimate funky Jaco type sound (eq flat); on the neck only if I cut the treble and boost the mids I get a real vintage 'p-bass' Jamerson kind of tone; both pickups on with all eq flat I get a super modern slap tone; bridge with the treble on full and it's like Mark King's Jaydee sound etc. etc. etc. The eq on this bass REALLY shapes the tone into new useable sounds. It's unreall - now that realise it AIN'T a Stingray with a makeover - it's a totally new instrument.

Thanks for the input guys!